New Delhi: International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday (March 24) announced the postponement of 2020 Tokyo Olympics to no later than the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. The games were scheduled for July 24-August 9, but after telephone discussions between IOC president Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a joint decision was taken for the first postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.


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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that he and the head of the International Olympic Committee agreed on the idea of delaying the Tokyo Olympics by about one year, while speaking to reporters on postponing the Games amid growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.


"We asked President Bach to consider postponement of about one year to make it possible for athletes to play in the best condition, and to make the event a safe and secure one for spectators," Abe was quoted by AFP, adding "President Bach said he is in agreement 100 per cent."


Tokyo had completed preparations when the virus started spreading across the world. Despite insisting for months the Games would go ahead as planned, Abe this week said a delay may be unavoidable if the events could not be held in a complete form.


The IOC has, however, said that the original name of Tokyo 2020 will remain intact irrespective of the fact that it will take place next year. 


According to the IOC's official statement, "In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community." 


The statement further added, "The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020."


Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has welcomed the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, adding that the decision will now relieve the Indian athletes of having to train amidst lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.


In an official statement, IOA said, "IOA welcomes the decision of IOC. Discussions were held by IOC with organisers and all stakeholders prior to this. Soon after the lockdown is over, IOA would be holding meetings with athletes, federations, sponsors, etc. to revise plans. This decision today relieves our athletes of having to train now during the epidemic and perform their best in four months from now." 


For the first time in the history of the mega global event, the Olympics were postponed by a year. The Olympics were cancelled in the past but were never postponed. In 1916, 1940 and 1944, the Games were cancelled because of the World Wars.


The Tokyo Olympic Games were slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6.